UNIVERSAL DESIGN FOR LEARNING (UDL) & SPECIALLY DESIGNED INSTRUCTION (SDI)

A course by Novak Educational Consulting

This course is designed to give participants the needed mindset and skills for facilitating high quality inclusive instructional experiences that blend targeted Specially Designed Instruction (SDI) with rigorous standards based instruction that utilizes the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). This course is meant to be a resource for special education teachers, general education teachers, service providers, paraprofessionals, and/or district and site leaders.

In this course we will be working to cross the unfortunate and often under discussed chasm that is general education and special education. The course design very much sees the two areas of educational thought, practice, and specialization as complementary to each other and an integrated approach as the way forward to a more personalized, adaptive and yet rigorous experience of American public education. This course is built on a framework centered on ways to design systems and steer educational practice toward fully inclusive educational environments in efforts to reorganize schools as problem solving entities.

Thank you so much for joining us! Your thoughts and ideas are critical for moving this work forward. We welcome new perspectives, disagreement, and each other’s best collective thinking to make schools a better place for all students, especially those needing specially designed instructional practices.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this course, you will gain a deeper understanding of:

• Global Objective:
• Educators (regardless of role) learn how to bridge the gap between special education and general education practices making for more inclusive, rigorous, and individualized learning outcomes for all.
• Course Benchmarks:
• Educators will understand the mindset and values needed for creating accessible, compassionate, and rigorous learning outcomes for students.
• Educators will understand how to work together across differing areas of expertise to create universally designed AND differentiated learning experiences.
• Educators will develop the skills for creating robust Individualized Education Plan (IEP) based learning experiences and supports relevant both to the needs of individual students and families and to the expectations of a modern universally designed standards based classroom.
• Educators will understand their role within educational systems for creating equitable and inclusive learning environments and systems.

MODULES

Module 1: Mindsets for Success
Module 2: Bridging the Special Education & General Education Divide
Module 3: Why Universal Design for Learning as a Foundation
Module 4: Thinking about Specially Designed Instruction
Module 5: The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) Process
Module 6: Forming Inclusive Education Partnerships
Module 7: Co-Teaching – What is it?
Module 8: High Quality Paraprofessional Support and Practice
Module 9: Inclusive Lesson Planning
Module 10: Leveraging the Sphere of Influence

ABOUT NOVAK EDUCATIONAL CONSULTING

Novak Educational Consulting is the premier organization for designing and delivering high-quality, evidence-based professional development on multi-tiered systems of support, evidence-based tiered interventions, evidence-based literacy models, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and effective leadership practices.